J. Stephen Conn
Carlsbad Caverns
There is not a cave or cavern in the entire United States which evokes such astonishment and awe from visitors as does Carlsbad Caverns. This is not the largest cave system in the country, that distinction goes to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, but Carlsbad has more fantastic formations, contains the largest rooms and has the biggest population of bats. It could well be called America's Cave.
The first time I visited Carlsbad Caverns was with my Dad when I was about 9-years-old. I returned as a middle-aged adult and was amazed at how much of it I remembered from the first visit. This fantastic subterranean world had made such an indelible impression on my young mind that it will last a lifetime.
Several different tours are available for different parts of the Carlsbad Caverns, with varying degrees of difficulty. Every visitor should begin by taking the self-guided tour through the Big Room, one of the largest underground chambers on earth. There is also a unique underground dining room which provides a truly unique lunch venue.
The National Park is actually much more than just one cave. There are more than 100 caves within the Park's boundaries, including Lechuguilla, which is the deepest limestone cave in America at 1,567 feet. Also, the above-ground portion of the park offers many splendid opportunities for desert hiking, camping, backpacking and wildlife viewing.
Carlsbad Caverns
There is not a cave or cavern in the entire United States which evokes such astonishment and awe from visitors as does Carlsbad Caverns. This is not the largest cave system in the country, that distinction goes to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, but Carlsbad has more fantastic formations, contains the largest rooms and has the biggest population of bats. It could well be called America's Cave.
The first time I visited Carlsbad Caverns was with my Dad when I was about 9-years-old. I returned as a middle-aged adult and was amazed at how much of it I remembered from the first visit. This fantastic subterranean world had made such an indelible impression on my young mind that it will last a lifetime.
Several different tours are available for different parts of the Carlsbad Caverns, with varying degrees of difficulty. Every visitor should begin by taking the self-guided tour through the Big Room, one of the largest underground chambers on earth. There is also a unique underground dining room which provides a truly unique lunch venue.
The National Park is actually much more than just one cave. There are more than 100 caves within the Park's boundaries, including Lechuguilla, which is the deepest limestone cave in America at 1,567 feet. Also, the above-ground portion of the park offers many splendid opportunities for desert hiking, camping, backpacking and wildlife viewing.